RFID tag device with temperature sensitive antenna

• US 8,228,172 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2008
• Issued: 07/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: Collins, Timothy, Schaller, Andreas, Bekritsky, Benjamin, Hockey, Theodore
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rushing, Mark
• Application Number:
  US12/241,469
• Publication Number:
  US 20100079288A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,393 Days
• Field of Search: 343/700, 343/745, 340/572, 340/10
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 3/04 in respect of time
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0717 the sensor being capable of sensing environmental conditions such as temperature history or pressure
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/02 Arrangements for de-icing; Arrangements for drying-out ; Arrangements for cooling; Arrangements for preventing corrosion
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2225 used in active tags, i.e. provided with its own power source or in passive tags, i.e. deriving power from RF signal

Abstract

An apparatus system, and techniques for detecting temperature change are disclosed. The system includes a temperature sensitive antenna that can be included in an RFID tag device. The antenna is associated with a temperature sensitive material that, upon being exposed to a particular temperature level over a time interval, causes at least one of a change in the resonance frequency of the antenna and change in antenna signal strength (e.g., antenna gain). An RFID reader is also provided that sends commands to the tag device and determines the existence of a temperature change based on a comparison of signal strengths received on different frequencies from the antenna.

Claims

1. An antenna apparatus comprising:

a first antenna tuned to a first resonant frequency to transmit and receive electromagnetic signals, said first antenna associated with a temperature sensitive material that, upon said apparatus being exposed to a particular temperature level over a predefined time interval, causes a shift in said first resonant frequency,

wherein upon said apparatus being exposed to said particular temperature level over said predefined time interval, a second antenna is configured to maintain an initial resonant frequency used by the first antenna.

2. The antenna apparatus of claim 1, wherein said temperature sensitive material is a low resistive material.

3. The antenna apparatus of claim 2, wherein said low resistive material is selected from the group consisting essential of a graphite-based composition, pentadecan and polyethylene glycol.

4. The antenna apparatus of claim 1, wherein upon said apparatus being exposed to said particular temperature level over said predefined time interval, a gain of said first antenna is changed.

5. The antenna apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second antenna is tuned to a second resonant frequency, said second antenna formed from a low resistive material such that, upon said apparatus being exposed to said particular temperature level over said predefined time interval, said second antenna maintains at least one of said second resonant frequency and a second antenna gain.

6. The antenna apparatus of claim 5, wherein said first and second antennas are arranged to form a dual dipole antenna.

7. The antenna apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first antenna is formed from said temperature sensitive material.

8. A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag device comprising:

a substrate;

an integrated circuit mounted on said substrate; and

a first antenna in communication with said integrated circuit tuned to a first resonant frequency to transmit and receive electromagnetic signals, said first antenna associated with a temperature sensitive material that, upon said tag device being exposed to a particular temperature level over a predefined time interval, causes a shift in said first resonant frequency,

wherein upon said tag device being exposed to said particular temperature level over said predefined time interval, a second antenna is configured to maintain an initial resonant frequency used by the first antenna.

9. The RFID tag device of claim 8, wherein said temperature sensitive material is a low resistive material.

10. The RFID tag device of claim 9, wherein said low resistive material is a graphite-based composition.

11. The RFID tag device of claim 8, wherein upon said tag device being exposed to said particular temperature level over said predefined time interval, a gain of said first antenna is changed.

12. The RFID tag device of claim 8, wherein the second antenna is tuned to a second resonant frequency, said second antenna formed from a low resistive material such that, upon said tag device being exposed to said particular temperature level over said predefined time interval, said second antenna maintains at least one of said second resonant frequency and a second antenna gain.

13. The RFID tag device of claim 12, wherein said first and second antennas are arranged to form a dual dipole antenna.

14. The RFID tag device of claim 8, wherein said first antenna is formed from said temperature sensitive material.

15. The RFID tag device of claim 8, wherein said temperature sensitive material is a tuning element in communication with said first antenna.

16. The RFID tag device of claim 15, further comprising a plurality of tuning elements wherein each of said plurality of elements is associated with temperature sensitive material affected at a different temperature level to detect a range of temperatures.

17. A method of detecting a temperature change using electromagnetic waves comprising:

calculating a comparison value between a first signal strength value associated with a first signal received from an RFID tag device and a second signal strength value associated with a second signal received from said RFID tag device;

correlating said comparison value to a temperature difference, wherein correlating comprises;

comparing said comparison value to a plurality of signal strength values associated with a plurality of temperature points; and

determining said temperature level based on said comparison.

18. The method of claim 17, comprising:

radiating said first signal from a first antenna included in said RFID tag device; and

radiating said second signal from a second antenna included in said RFID tag device, said second antenna associated with a temperature sensitive material that, upon said tag device being exposed to a particular temperature level over a predetermined period of time, causes at least one of said second signal strength to be different from said first signal strength and a second resonant frequency of said second antenna to be different from a first resonant frequency of said first antenna.

19. A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system comprising:

an RFID tag device configured to send a first signal including a first signal strength value and a second signal including a second signal strength value in response to at least one request; and

a RFID reader device configured to send said at least one request to said RFID tag device, said reader device configured to i) calculate a comparison value between said first signal strength value associated with said first signal received from said tag device and said second signal strength value associated with said second signal, and ii) correlate said comparison value to a temperature level, wherein correlating comprises;

comparing said comparison value to a plurality of signal strength values associated with a plurality of temperature points; and

determining said temperature level based on said comparison.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said tag device:

radiates said first signal from a first antenna; and

radiates said second signal from a second antenna, said first and second antennas included in said RFID tag device, said second antenna associated with a temperature sensitive material that, upon said tag device being exposed to a particular temperature level over a predetermined period of time, causes at least one of said second signal strength value to be different from said first signal strength value and a second resonant frequency of said second antenna to be different from a first resonant frequency of said first antenna.

21. An RFID tag device comprising:

a substrate;

an integrated circuit;

an antenna in communication with said integrated circuit and associated with a temperature sensitive material, said antenna operable in a first frequency band comprising a first number of communication channels, wherein, upon said tag device being exposed to a particular temperature level, said temperature sensitive material causes said antenna to operate in a second frequency band, said second frequency band comprising a second number of communication channels, said second number of communication channels being different from said first number of communication channels.

22. A method comprising:

sending a command to an RFID tag device over each of an N number of communication channels, said RFID tag device including an antenna associated with a temperature sensitive material that operates to affect a frequency of at least one of said N number of communication channels upon said tag being exposed to a particular temperature level, N being an integer value greater than 1;

receiving a response to said command over each of N−

1 communication channels, said N−

1 communication channels not including said at least one communication channel affected by said temperature sensitive material; and

identifying an exceeded temperature range for said RFID tag based upon receiving said response over each of said N−

1 communication channels and non-receipt of said response over said at least one communication channel affected by said temperature sensitive material.